


Reunited

by RobinsonsWereHere



Series: Elise [1]
Category: Psych (TV 2006)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Comic-Con, Day At The Beach, Episode Related, F/M, Feelings, Happy Ending, Kid Fic, Mutual Pining, One Night Stands, Pre-Canon Prologue, Shules, Slow Burn, Surprise Child, Wine, he's not twinky or dorky enough, i did not do s1 shawn justice and i apologize, oh well, pre-canon meeting, single mom!Jules
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:54:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23483422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobinsonsWereHere/pseuds/RobinsonsWereHere
Summary: In 2001, Shawn Spencer is cruising the country on a motorbike. Juliet O'Hara is about to graduate from the police academy, and she's got a night gig as a waitress. Their paths cross for one night, and each assumes they'll never see the other again.In 2006, Shawn and Juliet reunite, and this time, there's another piece in the puzzle... a young girl who definitely was not there the first time around.
Relationships: Burton "Gus" Guster & Shawn Spencer, Juliet O'Hara & Maryanne O'Hara, Juliet O'Hara & Original Child Character(s), Juliet O'Hara/Shawn Spencer, Shawn Spencer & Original Child Character(s)
Series: Elise [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1689472
Comments: 137
Kudos: 114





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This fic has been a long time coming! I started it last November,and took a few breaks, and changed a few things along the way. But it's done now, and I'm so happy to be able to share it!

**2001**

Shawn pulls into the parking lot of what appears to be a below-average late night diner. As long as they have below-average prices, he doesn’t care about the food. Turning off his bike, he dismounts and zips his helmet into the bag on the back. Late nights mean lonely waitresses, and he doesn’t need that thing ruining his hair.

Sure enough, the only person in the diner besides himself is a blonde woman who looks to be a few years younger than him. Shawn sits on the cracked vinyl stool and slowly spins back and forth, giving her a charming smile.

The waitress-- Juliet, according to her nametag-- does not appear charmed. “What can I get you?”

Shawn scans the chalkboard menu. It’s handwritten neatly, by a confident, friendly woman, he can tell. Probably Juliet herself. At any rate, it shows him that he can have any sort of breakfast food he wants, but not a burger, which is what he’d really been hoping for. Oh, well, at least it’s cheap.

“I’ll have a waffle,” he answers. “Can I get extra syrup?”

“It’ll cost you extra,” she tells him.

Shawn shrugs. “Worth it. Gotta have syrup.”

She moves away from the counter to cook his food, grabbing premade batter from a fridge and pouring it into the waffle maker. As she leans against the counter, watching the timer and drumming her nails on the laminate, Shawn decides to have a little fun.

“So, you come here often?”

She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, never heard that one before.”

He chuckles. “Alright, alright, I’ll do better. More personal, right? You like the guys who want to know you, not just sleep with you. Are you from around here?”

She gives him an unimpressed look, one eyebrow skyrocketing. “No, I moved into the city just for the thrilling job of being a local waitress.”

He shrugs. “I saw it all the time in California. Pretty girls come out to the coast looking to get famous and start leading their best lives, but everything falls through and the next thing they know, they’re working three minimum-wage jobs just to pay rent.”

She nods in consideration, then smirks at him. “Well, this isn’t California, Beach Boy,” she points out, “and if you’re from all the way over there, you’re a long way from home. I should be asking you where you’re from.”

Shawn shrugs. “The coast. The beachy part everyone wants to go to, but not Los Angeles or any of those big name cities. It doesn’t really matter, now… I’m trying to get away from all that.”

This time, her raised eyebrow is more curious than skeptical. “Well, I’d say you’ve succeeded,” she says. “Welcome to Miami.”

“Thanks.” It occurs to him that he hasn’t actually introduced himself. “I’m Shawn Spencer, by the way.”

“Juliet O’Hara,” she replies. He grins.

“So, Juliet, tell me your story.”

“Excuse me?”

“You are from Miami, you’re working as a waitress for reasons other than the glory. That’s all I know. What else?”

She gives him a scrutinizing look. “Are you still trying to flirt with me?”

He gives her his sexiest grin. “Is it working?”

Juliet rolls her eyes. “Well, since you asked, I am from Miami. We’ve moved around Florida a bit, but we came back here when my parents split.” She winces. “That’s more that you wanted to know, but yeah. I’m in the police academy now; this is just a side job.”

_Of course. The first woman I meet in this city, and she’s a cop._ Shawn smiles anyway. “Hey, that’s cool. The cop thing, I mean. My dad was a cop… he wanted me to be one, but we don’t exactly get along.” His smile drops to more of a wry smirk. “My folks are divorced, too.”

“Cheers to shitty dads,” she sighs, bringing him a mug of coffee and his waffle.

Shawn frowns. “I can’t pay for this,” he says, gesturing to the coffee.

“It’s on the house.”

Shawn grins. “You _do_ like me!”

Juliet laughs and rolls her eyes. “I like everyone until they give me a reason not to.”

He considers this for a few moments. “Makes sense.” Then, he looks her in the eyes, noticing for the first time how blue they are. “I get the feeling that I shouldn’t get on your bad side.”

Juliet smiles sweetly, but it seems fake. “Maybe so.”

“I’ll try to stay on your good side, then.”

They keep talking for another full hour. Juliet tells him about her mother. Shawn talks about Gus, then changes the subject away from home. He learns that she’s graduating from the academy in a few weeks, and congratulates her. She admits that she admires him for being gutsy enough to drop everything and ride across the country. Shawn, in turn, confides that he’s not sure bravery or guts had anything to do with it.

His waffles and coffee are long gone by the time he looks at the clock-- it’s 11:57.

“I have to close up now,” Juliet tells him, almost apologetically. Shawn gives her a cheery, if tired, grin and tosses a few bills on the table. 

“Hey, no problem. Keep the change.” He stands from the barstool and stretches. “I’m gonna go find a cheap hourly motel.”

Three steps later, he realizes what he’s said. “Uh, that wasn’t a come on,” he adds, turning to face Juliet once again. “I’m just really broke.”

Juliet grins a devilish grin and leans against the counter, popping a hip. “Well, you could stay at my place for free.” She gives a small huff of laughter. “That _was_ a come on, just to be clear.”

Shawn grins. He didn’t think she was into him, but apparently he was wrong.

They’re making out before they even get to her car.

\---

_Three Months Later_

Juliet is shaking like a leaf as she grabs the spare key from under the doormat and unlocks the door to her mom’s house. Stepping into the foyer, she looks around and calls out. “Mom?”

“Juliet!” Maryanne appears before long, already wearing pajamas and glasses, as opposed to her daytime contacts. “You didn’t tell me you were coming tonight! I would have made up the bed!”

“I didn’t know I was coming tonight,” Juliet explains, her hands balling into fists and then releasing. “But I-- I need your help. Your advice. Probably a hug or two.”

Maryanne takes her daughter by the shoulders and holds her at arm’s length as if inspecting her. “Oh, sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

Not bothering to speak, Juliet reaches into her purse and pulls out a positive pregnancy test, holding it up in one shaking hand.

“Oh, honey,” Maryanne murmurs, her face and her voice both softening, “come on. Here, sit down.”

Juliet lets herself be led to the couch, where she curls into a ball, her knees hugged to her chest. Maryanne takes the test from her, setting it on the coffee table. The blue plus sign stares accusingly up at Juliet.

“Do you want to talk to me, honey?” Maryanne reaches out to rub Juliet’s back. “When did this happen? Who’s the father?”

Juliet takes a deep breath. “It was-- it was just a hookup. We both knew it was just for the night. We used protection, we did everything right… god, I don’t even have his phone number.”

“There are worse ways this could’ve happened,” her mother sighs. “Do you have any idea how far along you are?”

“Three months?” Juliet shrugs. “It was right before I graduated from the academy.”

Maryanne smiles gently. “Well, if you’ve made it three months without knowing, at least you’re getting a fairly easy pregnancy.”

“Mom,” Juliet groans, “none of this is easy.”

Her mother hums knowingly. “Sorry. Bad word choice.”

Juliet turns to lean against Maryanne, her head resting in her mother’s lap. “Mom, I’m scared.”

“There’s nothing to be afraid of, Juliet. I’m here for you.”

“I-- I--” Juliet swallows hard. “I’m going to have a baby.”

Her mother smiles down at her. “Yes, you are, Juliet. And I will promise you this: everything is going to be just fine.”

Tired and scared, Juliet hugs her mom the same way she had when she was little and needed comfort after a nightmare. But when Maryanne continues to repeat her promise over and over, she finally begins to believe it.


	2. Santa Barbara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Juliet has already turned her life, and her daughter's, upside down by moving across the country. A surprisingly familiar face only makes things more complicated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love this fic SO Much I'm so excited to update it and a HUGE thank you goes to all y'all who commented last chapter!

**2006**

Juliet is hyper-alert, each of her senses as sharp as a razor blade. This is her first assignment in Santa Barbara, her first assignment as a detective (junior detective, technically) and she does _not_ want to mess it up. She’s mainly watching the door, yes, but in the back of her mind, she’s also cataloguing the diner’s other patrons.

Somehow, though, she’d missed the young man with the messy hair and the faint shadow of an unshaved beard. He takes the seat next to her, blocking her view of the door, before she can object.

“Excuse me, I think you’re in my-- wait a minute, Juliet!?”

Juliet stops craning her neck to see the doorway at the sound of his voice. Well, his voice alone doesn’t do it, but the way her name leaves his lips pulls her roughly back in time, through five years, two cities, and so, so much else.

She’s sure she’s gaping as she takes him in. “Shawn Spencer.” She takes a deep breath and offers a shaky smile. “Wow, you really don’t forget a face.”

He chuckles. “Nope. Blessing and a curse… but definitely a blessing right now.” He fidgets with a straw wrapper; Juliet scans their surroundings. “So, what brings you to Santa Barbara? I thought you were fighting crime in Miami.”

“I was,” she answers, “and then I got promoted. As of yesterday, I am Santa Barbara’s youngest detective.”

“Congratulations,” Shawn says with a grin. He’s even more charming than she’d remembered. “So, you’re in town for a while?”

“Yeah, here for the foreseeable future.” She squints at a shadowy form heading toward the door of the diner.

Shawn smirks at her. “Was that a come-on?”

The old joke throws her off-guard, taking her back just like his first greeting had. But there’s no time for that now. Juliet reaches into her purse, her hand curling around the grip of her pistol. “Shawn, I’m gonna need you to do me a favor.”

“Name it.”

“Duck.”

Shawn folds over the counter as she aims her gun, her hands shaking. The would-be robber glares but puts his hands up, only for them to be roughly forced down by one of the many cops now swarming the diner.

Juliet doesn’t let her guard (or gun) down until she’s beckoned over by her new partner, Detective Lassiter. By then Shawn has already disappeared, leaving with nothing but a wave and a smile.

Juliet quickly learns that’s not the last she’ll see of him.

\---

Shawn stands in the judges’ booth of the spelling bee, grinning down at the detectives below. Well, one of them, at least. “Gus, d’you know who that is?”

Gus sighs. “A respectable young woman you’re going to flirt shamelessly with regardless of the fact that she will almost certainly shoot you down, and possibly literally shoot you?”

“Close, but no cigar, bud. _That_ is Detective Juliet O’Hara, the newest of Santa Barbara’s Finest. She graduated from the Miami police academy in May of 2001, and shortly before that, she had a waitressing job at an all-night diner. But!” Shawn holds up a hand, “perhaps the most important detail, and I’ll make you wait for iiiiiiiit…”

Gus smacks him. Shawn smacks him back. Gus clucks his tongue. “Just get on with it, Shawn.”

He grins devilishly. “She _definitely_ has a thing for guys with motorbikes.”

Gus gives him an unimpressed look. “And you know this how?”

“Because, my friend,” Shawn says, leaving suavely against the balcony rail, “I happened to be in Miami in 2001, with a motorbike. And she definitely had a thing for me.”

Gus rolls his eyes. “I don’t know why I put up with you.”

\---

Juliet arrives at the local daycare center at five-thirty sharp, ready to pick up Elise. Sure enough, her daughter is playing on the jungle gym, and when Juliet gets out of the car and comes to the gate, she comes running over.

“Mama!”

“Hi, Ellie!” Juliet lifts her into her arms and heads to the front window to sign her out. “Did you have fun today?”

“Yeah! Mama, I can see the ocean!”

Sure enough, just visible through a fence and a row of pines is sand and blue waves. Juliet smiles. “I’m very glad you like it, sweetie.”

She and Elise head home, the latter chattering excitedly about painting on an easel. Upon arrival at their new apartment, Juliet pops some chicken tenders in the oven for dinner, and Elise runs off to play with her stuffed animals. Juliet smiles after her, watching her brown curls bounce behind her, and picks up the phone.

Maryanne answers on the fourth ring. _”Juliet! It’s so strange, not having you and Ellie here anymore. I already miss you both! How’s Santa Barbara?”_

Juliet laughs, comforted by her mother’s voice. “Hi, Mom. We miss you too. Santa Barbara is just what I needed, career wise.”

_”Oh, honey, I know you’ll be an amazing detective. I do wish you’d picked a less dangerous job… but you love this, and it’s perfect for you, so who am I to judge?”_

“Thanks for the encouragement, Mom,” Juliet answers, turning a bit so she can keep an eye on Ellie. “Today has been… an experience.”

_”All days are, Julie. Good or bad?”_

“Well, Shawn Spencer lives and works in Santa Barbara,” Juliet offers.

_”Hm… why do I know that name?”_

“He’s--” she swallows. “He’s Ellie’s dad.”

 _”Oh. Oh my.”_ Maryanne is quiet for a moment. _”Have you told him?”_

“No, I just ran into him today. But I’m gonna have to soon… he consults for the department, so we’re working together. He says he’s psychic, but I don’t buy it.”

 _”Be careful, Juliet,”_ Maryanne implores her. Frank’s name hangs unsaid in the silence between them.

“I will, Mom,” Juliet promises after a moment. The timer on the over begins to beep. “Okay, I have to go, it’s time for Ellie and I to have dinner.”

 _”Goodnight, Juliet, I love you. Call again soon.”_

“Love you too, Mom, and I will,” Juliet promises. “Talk to you later.”

She and Ellie have a nice dinner of chicken strips and peas, and then they practice reading books. Juliet mostly reads them aloud, but as early as last year, Elise had begun to sound out words in the ones they read more often. Juliet often finds herself amazed by the four-year-old’s grasp of her world.

After bathtime and a lullaby, Elise is fast asleep, leaving Juliet alone with her thoughts. She sits on the side of the brand new big-girl bed and strokes her daughter’s hair, realizing for the first time just how much she looks like Shawn.

“I don’t really know what we’re gonna do, love,” she whispers, “but I have a feeling both of our lives are about to get much more complicated.” She kisses her forehead softly. “Mine more than yours... sweet dreams.”

\---

Juliet knows she needs to tell Shawn that he has a daughter, but she feels like it’s never the right time. This might be related to the fact that she only sees him at work. Regardless, a week and a half after running into him, she hasn’t told him yet.

One morning, she wakes to the ringing of her cell phone, just as the sun is creeping over the horizon. On the other end, Chief Vick informs her that there’s an urgent case that’s just been called in, and she needs her top team at the station. Being included in said team puts a smile on Juliet’s face, and she leaves the apartment with a spring in her step, despite the early hour.

Except, Ellie’s daycare is closed until eight, and Juliet hasn’t found an emergency sitter yet. 

Shit.

Strapping the sleepy toddler into her car seat, Juliet resolves to explain the situation to the chief and hopefully keep Ellie at the station for the next hour or so.

“That’s perfectly acceptable, Detective,” Chief Vick assures her a few minutes later, looking slightly envious of Juliet’s caffeinated coffee. “Good luck finding a sitter.”

Juliet thanks her, and then turns, her pivot made awkward by Ellie clinging to her leg. When she does manage it, however, she sees something-- or rather, someone-- who makes her heart drop into her stomach.

Shawn Spencer is standing on the other side of the bullpen, his gaze fixed on Ellie. She calls his name, explanations rushing to her lips, but he flees before she can do so much as take a step.

\---

Shawn knows it’s early, but he’s really trying to make a name for himself at the station… and, of course, spend more time with Juliet. Thanks to a chugged energy drink, he’s plenty awake as he enters the station, Gus trailing behind him. They head for the bullpen, Shawn scanning the officers for any sign of his favorite detective. He catches sight of her in conversation with the chief, a young girl clinging to her leg. A smile curves over his lips in the instant before his brain really processes that.

 _Hang on,_ he thinks, a moment later, _Juliet didn’t have a kid the first time we met. I would have picked up on that._

Looking closer, he’d put the girl at around four, no older than five. She has brown hair, but it’s curly like Juliet’s, and she has her mother’s blue eyes, too. Shawn squints, noticing hints of familiarity in her facial structure.

_Wait a minute._

Four year old girl, give or take.

Five years and change since he’d seen-- since he’d _slept with_ Juliet.

_Shit._

“Gus,” Shawn mutters in an urgent tone, “how old you you say that little girl is?”

Gus, still not quite awake, frowns. “What little girl?”

“The one holding onto Juliet,” Shawn hisses.

“Oh.” Gus contemplates her silently for a minute. “Four-ish? Maybe? I don’t know.”

“That’s what I was afraid of,” Shawn mumbles. Looking up, he sees Juliet beginning to turn. “Okay, we gotta go.”

“But what about getting on the case?” Gus folds his arms and scowls. “When you dragged me out of bed at six-thirty, I assumed we were getting paid!”

“New plan,” Shawn tells him. He tries to hurry him out of the station, but it’s too late-- Juliet sees him, and he looks her in the eye, and if his math hadn’t led him to believe that was his kid, the look on her face certainly does. _Shit, shit, shit._

Juliet calls his name, but Shawn has already started to run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dun dun dun... cliffhanger!


	3. Elise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shawn has to face the music... it's time for him to meet his daughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I JUST remembered that it's Saturday. TBH 12 in the afternoon is not the latest I've ever been

Gus pulls into the parking lot near the food trucks with no intention of buying anything… at least, not right now. Shawn is freaking out, and before he gets so much as a glance at any sort of jumbo churro, Gus fully intends to make him explain.

“Shawn,” he asks slowly, “what happened back there?”

His friend groans and scrubs a hand over his face. “Well… remember when I told you Jules and I had met before?”

“Uh-huh.” Gus doesn’t like where this is going.

“Well, we hooked up… we hooked up about five years ago. And now she has a kid.” Shawn stares at Gus with wide, worried eyes.

“A kid who looks exactly like you,” Gus agrees.

Shawn shakes his head. “No… she has blue eyes.”

“So do you.”

“Mine are kind of blue, yeah. But that little girl has Juliet’s eyes… and God, I could never forget those eyes. You can see every damn thing she’s feeling, and they’re so, so blue…”

Gus feels like they’re getting off track. “Shawn.”

“Huh?”

“The kid. Is she yours?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen her before. I didn’t even realize Jules had a kid.” Shawn goes back to running his hands through his hair.

“Did she have a kid when you met?”

“Definitely not.”

“So you probably are the dad.”

Shawn gets a faraway look in his eyes, the same look he gets when he’s trying to remember details of a case. “Yeah, probably… but we can’t really know for sure, right?” He sounds hopeful.

Gus nods. “Not until you talk to Juliet.”

The look on Shawn’s face says it all.

“Shawn,” Gus continues, “you _do_ have to talk to Juliet.”

“Well,” Shawn hedges, “I could… I could just, uh…”

“Do I have to take away the keys to your bike until you do the adult thing? Because I will.”

Shawn pouts. “C’mon, son!”

“You know I will.” Gus has had to do it before.

Shawn sighs, finally relenting. “Fine… but not now. I’m not gonna bother her at work.”

\---

Juliet is distracted for the rest of the day, which probably isn’t a great way to go about solving a crime. But then again, Detective Lassiter rarely listens when she speaks and literally never actually asks her anything, so it’s not like anyone notices that she’s acting weird.

She leaves the station at five, bringing a folder of paperwork with her. Only, tonight she doesn’t head straight for the preschool. She drives to the Psych office, which isn’t too hard to find, even though she’s never been there before. When she steps through the door, she can hear Shawn and Gus bickering from the other room. She’s pretty sure that’s all they do.

“Four hundred dollars each, Gus! In one day!”

“Shawn, that’s not as much money as you think it is. And I can’t believe you dragged me around all day finding missing pets.”

“We made good money, Gus! Good money!”

Juliet takes a few steps forward, her palms sweaty. Then, with a deep breath, she steps through the second doorway, making herself visible to both Shawn and Gus. “Um, hi,” she starts, smiling out of habit. “Shawn… can I talk to you?”

“Um,” he says. “Uh, yeah, yeah.”

She looks at Gus, then back to Shawn, giving him an inquisitive look.

“Oh! Oh, you meant, like, alone… sure. Gus, can you give us a minute?”

Gus nods, shares a long, indecipherable look with Shawn, and then vanishes through the back door.

“Um, just so you know, I tell Gus everything anyway,” Shawn informs her. He’s gone nearly ashen, his nerves seeming to increase in the forty seconds since Gus disappeared. “He’s-- he’s the one I told you about in Miami… not that you would remember, I mean, it was five years ago--”

“Shawn,” Juliet interrupts, “I have played every word we said that night over and over in my head more times than I can count.”

Shawn stills, and when he speaks, his voice is small. “...Oh.”

“Yeah,” she breathes, tucking her hair behind her ear. “So, um, I’m sorry about this morning.”

A furrow appears in Shawn’s forehead. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“Well, um, that wasn’t how I wanted to tell you. And I did, I did want to tell you. About--” Juliet takes a deep breath, trying to collect her thoughts. “Shawn, we used protection, that night. I remember that, too.”

He nods in agreement. “I had a durex condom in my wallet. You tore it open with your teeth.”

Well, she hadn’t remembered _that_ much. Her bafflement must show on her face, because he shrugs. “What? I told you, photographic memory.”

He holds up his fingers like he does when he has a ‘vision’, and that sets off some alarm in her detective brain, but she tells her detective brain to stuff it, because there’s a different conversation that needs to happen right now. “Well, I guess no method is a hundred percent effective,” she continues. “I-- I got pregnant.”

He nods slowly, and his face says he’d put this together from seeing her and Elise at the station, but his white-knuckled grip on the chair says otherwise. 

Juliet keeps going. “I want you to know that there was nothing you could’ve or should’ve done differently,” she tells him. “We both knew it was only for the night. I didn’t even know I was pregnant for at least three months. You had no way of knowing, and I’ve never blamed you or resented you for leaving.” She licks her lips, playing with her hair again. “And even now, it’s only fair that you know you have a daughter, bit I’m-- I’m not trying to make you feel obligated to step right up as a dad. I just… I thought you’d want to know.”

A tense silence stretches between them. Juliet tucks her hair behind her ear, then tugs at the hem of her blazer. Shawn only stares wide-eyed, his breathing rapid and his grip still tight as iron on his chair. She almost expects him to run again, like he had in the station.

Not that she would blame him.

And yet, there’s a tiny part of her wondering what could happen if he actually did want to be a part of Ellie’s life…

Finally, Shawn speaks. His voice sounds hoarse and shocked. “What’s her name?”

Juliet feels a huge amount of tension leave her body. A real smile curls unbidden onto her lips. “Elise. Elise O’Hara.”

Shawn grins a bit. “That’s a super pretty name. Poetic. Like Juliet.”

Juliet doesn’t quite know what to do about the unhidden _care_ in his gaze. Still, it makes her smile widen. “Thanks… took me a while to decide on.” She tucks her hair behind her ear. “Um, actually, I have to go pick her up right about now from pre-k… do you want to come with?”

Shawn’s eyes widen. “Can I?”

“Of course!” Juliet blushes at her own excitement. “I mean, if-- if you want.”

Shawn nods. “I want to meet her, at least,” he says, his breathing seeming to return to normal. “Seems like a good first step.”

\---

Shawn doesn’t do well with awkward silences. And this silence, sitting in the passenger seat of Juliet’s green beetle, stealing glances at each other but exchanging no words, is most definitely awkward.

“So,” he starts, “how have you been the past five years? Besides the whole single mom/cop double life thing, I mean.”

He watches as she chews her lip, thinking. “Happy,” she answers, and it’s not what he expected, but he believes it. “Yeah, I’ve been happy. No offense, but I didn’t exactly lie awake at night thinking about you… well, not after the first few months.”

Shawn nods. “Fair enough.” There’s a joke he could’ve pulled from her phrasing, but he’s not sure that now is the time.

“Honestly, I should thank you,” Juliet continues. “I’m not saying it’s easy being a single mom, but… I love Ellie more than anyone or anything in my life. She’s the highlight of my day, every day. And without you, I wouldn’t have her.”

She smiles at him in the rearview mirror, and Shawn returns it, albeit uneasily. She’s offering to let him into the most important part of her life. And if his past experiences are anything to go by, he’s all too likely to screw it up.

“I’m, uh, sorry you had to do the whole parenting thing alone,” he offers.

Juliet shrugs. “I had my mom.”

Soon after lapsing into silence, they pull into a parking lot by a chain-link fence, behind which is a grassy playground filled with children. Shawn searches the crowd for Juliet’s daughter-- _their_ daughter-- and spots her climbing the jungle gym.

“Would you mind staying in the car for now?” Jules asks him. “I’d like to explain some of this to Ellie before she meets you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Shawn nods, relieved that he’ll have a few minutes to himself. “Sounds good. See you in a bit.”

She flashes him a quick smile that makes him feel warm on the inside. “I’ll be right back.”

Shawn watches from the car as she goes to the gate. The girl he’d already identified as Elise comes running up to her, and Juliet scoops her into her arms. She walks down the sidewalk to the building, talks to a woman at the window, and then heads back to the car.

“Ellie, this is Shawn,” Juliet says as she fastens the young girl’s seatbelt. “Say hi.”

Ellie gives Shawn a toothy grin and waves. “Hiiii!”

Shawn swallows hard. He only gives himself a moment to get it together, but in that moment, he takes in everything he’d missed at the station. He’d been right about Ellie’s eyes; they’re the same blue as her mother’s. Her hair is brown like his, but curly like Juliet’s, and currently a windblown mess thanks to an hour or so running around outside. She has a smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks, which might be genetic, or might be a result of a fair complexion on a sunny coast.

Finally, he makes his mouth work. “Hey, Ellie. I’m…” he takes a deep breath. “Uh, I’m your dad.”

Jules slides into the driver’s seat, giving him an encouraging smile. Shawn nods at her, but keeps his attention on Elise, even as the car starts. She’s scrunched up her face now, regarding him with squinty eyes.

“I don’t have a daddy.”

“Well,” Shawn counters, “until this morning, I didn’t know about you, either.”

Ellie seems to consider this. “Mama?”

Juliet nods. “Shawn is your dad, Ellie.”

“Okay!” Ellie smiles brightly, all confusion gone in an instant. “Are you gonna have dinner with us?”

Shawn looks at Juliet. She shrugs, but he notices she’s chewing her bottom lip again. “You can come if you want,” she says quietly.

“Yes,” he says to both of them. “I am _so_ coming to dinner. It’s gonna be awesooooome!” He sing-songs the last word, just to make Ellie laugh. As expected, she dissolves into giggles. “What’s your favorite food?”

“Chicken nuggets!”

“Oh, great choice.” Shawn’s neck is starting to hurt from craning to watch her, but it’s a small price to pay. “Chicken nuggets are _amazing._ Have you ever had pineapple?”

Elise looks confused. “Mama?”

“No, you haven’t, sweetie,” Juliet answers. “It’s a yummy kind of fruit; I’ll buy some the next time I go to the store.”

“Pineapple is my favorite,” Shawn tells Ellie. “It’s very yummy and you can eat it for every meal. Pineapple by itself for breakfast. Pineapple smoothie for lunch. Pineapple pizza for dinner.”

“Do not do that,” Juliet warns.

Ellie only giggles. “Fruit on pizza? That’s silly.”

“Yeah, but it’s yummy!”

The car slows to a stop, and Juliet turns it off. “We’re home.”

Shawn goes through the motions to get out of the car, but his attention stays on Jules and Ellie. Juliet unbuckles Ellie from the car seat, then lets her hold her hand as they head for the stairs up to one of the apartments in the building. Shawn follows them up, nerves and curiosity and something else he can’t quite name rising inside of him.

When Juliet unlocks the door, she and Elise step through. Shawn does, too. Taking deep breaths, he looks around.

_Well, here goes nothing._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did that go the way y'all were expecting?


	4. Walking on Eggshells

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shawn has dinner with Juliet and Ellie, but the important stuff comes after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good morning! hope y'all are safe and healthy :) I've just painted my nail so I'm having a good day

Dinner is full of explanations, at least, explanations at a level that a four-year-old can understand them. Shawn awkwardly offers to do the dishes, but Juliet only smiles and shakes her head. “I can clean up. Can you keep Ellie entertained?”

“Sure, sure,” Shawn mumbles. He really has no idea how to do that-- he’s not exactly great with kids-- but he can at least try.

“Hey, kiddo,” he greets, slipping through the narrow kitchen doorway and out into the carpeted living room. Ellie looks up from where she’s clumsily turning the pages of a picture book. “Whatcha got there?”

“My Lucy book,” she answers. “See?” She points to a black and white dog on the page. “That’s Lucy.”

Shawn sits on the floor next to her. “Do you want me to read it to you?”

Ellie shakes her head. “I know it.”

“What?”

“I know it,” she repeats, then flips back to the first page. “When Lucy goes out walking in January snows, she leaves a trail of puppy prints everywhere she goes.”

Shawn’s jaw drops a little when he realizes the words match the writing on the page. She’s either reading at age four, or at the very least, she’s memorized it from having it read to her, which is still impressive.

At least, it would be impressive from the average four-year-old. 

Ellie continues to read, and Shawn unconsciously wraps an arm over her shoulders, but he’s deep in thought. If she remembers things like he does, he should probably give Jules a heads up… which will require at least some explanation. And his real ‘gift’ is so closely tied to his fake-psychic powers that he’s not sure he can explain one without giving away the other… will he have to confess to the lie?

And if he does… he’s not fooling himself. He knows Juliet is far more loyal to the SBPD than she is to him. So if he comes clean, what happens?

Shawn sighs and turns his attention back to the little girl curled into his side.

“When Lucy goes out walking,” she reads, “in cold December snows, she leaves a trail of big dog prints everywhere she goes!” Ellie turns to grin up at him. “Get it? Because she was a puppy so there were puppy prints in the snow in January, but now she’s a big dog!”

“Oh, that’s so cool, Ellie!” Shawn ruffles her hair. “Awesome job reading.”

Ellie smiles, pushes the book aside, and hugs him tightly around the middle. Shawn’s caught a little off guard, but slowly returns the hug.

As she’s climbing into his lap, still engaged in the hug, Juliet enters. 

Shawn had thought she was hot when they met. He’s been captivated by her ever since they reunited in Santa Barbara. But right now, seeing her still wearing half of a gray pantsuit, with her hair in a messy ponytail, and a smile of pure adoration directed at him and Ellie… she’s beautiful.

“I think it’s time for someone to go to bed,” she says after a long moment. “Say goodnight, Ellie.”

Ellie turns to look up at him, her arms tightening. “Goodnight, Daddy.”

Shawn can’t help it; he stiffens. But this is his daughter, a wonderful little girl who’s half him and half badass bombshell detective. He knows she’s already got him wrapped around her finger. So he holds her close, and he manages to get off the floor and hand her to Jules. “Goodnight, Ellie.”

He gets matching smiles from mother and daughter alike as Juliet carries her out of the room.

\---

Juliet returns from tucking Ellie in to find Shawn sitting on the couch, fidgeting with the fringe of a throw pillow. The natural thing to do would be to join him, but she can’t bring herself to sit at all, let alone on the couch. She still feels a pull when she look at him. Whenever their eyes meet, his are filled with all of the emotion she remembers from their night in Miami, and more. It’s too much, too soon; she won’t-- can’t-- let herself be pulled in.

“So…” she paces slowly around the room, and when she runs her hand across the back of the couch, her knuckles graze the back of his neck.

“So.” Shawn’s lips quirk into an approximation of a smile.

“Well, that’s Ellie…” Juliet stops, and shakes herself. “Shawn, can we not do this?”

His brow furrows. “What?”

“You can go home if you want, or we can talk. But I-- I can’t-- today has been a long day for the both of us, Shawn. I will answer any and all of your questions. We can discuss this as much or as little as you want. But this-- this walking on eggshells… Shawn, I know a lot has changed for us, you especially, in the past twelve hours, but I’m too tired for awkward small talk and not looking each other in the eye.” With that, Juliet flops into the armchair next to the side of the couch that Shawn’s on.

“Wow, okay.” Shawn chuckles. Juliet catches sight of the grin on his face and smacks him lightly.

“I’m sorry, is this funny?”

He catches the hand she’d whacked him with and twines his fingers through hers. She absolutely doesn’t shiver at the touch. “No, not really. I just like that you take no shit.”

“Mmmn, I grew up with brothers,” Juliet jokes, taking her hand back.

Shawn’s gaze has redirected to the pictures sitting on the mantel. There are two of Ellie, one as a baby and one taken more recently. The third is Ellie and Juliet at the beach, and the fourth is the two of them plus Maryanne.

“When was she born? What’s her birthday?” Shawn asks.

“January fourteenth, 2002,” Juliet tells him. “She’s four and a half, or a little over.”

Shawn nods. “Hey, Jules…” he falls silent, but she doesn’t fill the silence, just rests her chin on her hands and her elbows on the arm of the armchair. “Juliet, I want you to know… I would’ve come, if you’d called. And don’t think I’m making excuses, because I’m not, even though I do a lot of the time. I didn’t even leave you my number; of course there was no way for you to get in touch with me. I just feel like I should say… I’m not exactly perfect, but I’d like to think I’m decent.” He meets her eyes, his own shining with vulnerability. “I know what the right thing to do is, Jules. I’m here for you guys now.”

Juliet is surprised by how much his promise affects her… but she can’t let him say something like this not even a day in. “Shawn…” she takes a deep breath. “Thank you, that means a lot. I just want to say again that I don’t want you to feel obligated… honestly, we’ve been fine for four and a half years. You’re welcome to be Ellie’s dad, you’re welcome to be a part of her life… but I need you to be sure, Shawn, and be confident. I want you promising to stay because you want to, not because it’s the right thing to do.”

He nods, his fingers tapping against the arm of the couch. “I understand, Jules. Thank you.”

She smiles at him, resisting the urge to reach for him, too. “So… anything else I can clear up?”

He shrugs, looking thoughtful. “Honestly, I think I just want to get to know her myself. But there’s something I should tell you.”

Juliet arches an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“I know I sort of briefly explained this in Miami, but…” Juliet notes that the darkening sky outside makes it hard to read his expressions. “I told you I have a photographic memory, right?”

She nods. “You got it from your mom.”

“Yeah, well, the thing is, there’s a bit more to it than that.”

She remembers his hand-to-forehead gesture in the Psych office, and wonders if any of this ties into his alleged supernatural abilities. “Oh?”

“Well, to make it sound simple, I remember pretty much everything I see,” he tells her. “And according to my parents, I have a pretty high IQ, too. Not that I personally care about any of that, but…” he manages to meet her eyes again. “I noticed that Elise is already reading.”

“Yeah, she started learning words last year,” Juliet confirms. “Why?”

“Well, if I got this whole skill set from my mom, then…” Shawn is back to playing with the pillow fringe.

Juliet’s eyes widen. “Oh. _Oh._ You think Ellie-- you think she can do it too?”

“I don’t know for sure,” he says carefully, “and I don’t know how to be sure. I don’t really want to interfere… my dad tried that with me, and it didn’t do anything good for our relationship.”

Juliet nods her understanding. “You just thought I should know.”

“Yeah, yeah. Just be aware that it’s a possibility.”

“Thank you, Shawn.”

“Don’t mention it,” he murmurs.

Despite Juliet’s earlier ultimatum, the silence quickly grows uncomfortable. Shawn is the one to break it. “Um, I should probably be heading home.”

Juliet is a bit relieved. “Well, have a nice night.” She pauses. “Oh, god, I forgot I was your ride.”

Shawn laughs at her. “Hey, at least I get to spend another twenty minutes with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can I just say how much I _love_ to write mutual pining


	5. Shenanigans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Juliet has to work late, so she trusts Shawn to take care of Ellie for the evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> goood morning I have just finished my rewatch of psych s1 and I can honestly say Scary Sherry is my fav ep of the season

To Juliet’s delight, Shawn and Ellie only grow closer over the next couple of weeks. He comes over for dinner a few times, and they all go to the harbor on the weekends. Ellie loves him, and Juliet is elated that Shawn seems to be sure of what he’d promised her that first night. Of course, they’re still playing it by ear, still figuring things out, but she’d told him to stay if it was what _he_ wanted, and it seems like every day he wants it a little more.

She’s been in Santa Barbara for almost a month the first time she has to work late. All things considered, that’s a pretty good streak.

“It’s perfectly acceptable if you need to go home, O’Hara,” Chief Vick assures her. Still, Juliet wants to see this case closed tonight, and if that hadn’t been enough to make her stay, Detective Lassiter is across the desk from her, eavesdropping over his coffee and making disapproving noises. _I’ll show him._

“I’m happy to stay, Chief,” she says. “I just need a minute to call a sitter for Ellie.”

Chief Vick nods and walks away. Juliet leans against the wall, quickly pulling out her phone and punching in Shawn’s number. As it rings, she closes her eyes and makes a silent wish. _Please don’t let this be weird or awkward._

Shawn answers after six rings. _”Hey, babe.”_

Juliet raises an eyebrow, scoffing a bit. “‘Babe’?”

_”Sorry, it just slipped out.”_

“Shawn,” she says in a warning tone, “We’re not even dating.” She knows better than to mess up their current tightrope act with any attempt at a romance.

_”Oh, that’s very true. But just for the record, we do have living, breathing proof that you think I’m hot.”_

Juliet rolls her eyes, then remembers he can’t see her. “Ha, ha. Speaking of which… would you be okay with picking Ellie up from daycare? I think I’m gonna be busy for a few more hours, it would really help…” she tucks her hair behind her ear. “But it’s totally fine if not, I can figure something else out.”

_”Jules, of course I’ll pick her up! I would_ love _to spend more time with our daughter! Just, uh, one question… what do four-year-olds eat?”_

“Shawn,” Juliet says, laughing a bit, “it’s not like she’s on a specialized diet or anything. Just try to get a vegetable and some protein in her, and maybe a glass of milk. Have Gus help if you need to.”

_”Okay, I can do that. I need to get her by five-thirty, right?”_

“No later than that,” Juliet confirms. “I hope I won’t be later than eight, but I don’t know how complicated this is gonna get. She doen’t have to go to bed before I get home, but she might fall asleep anyway. Just tuck her into bed if she does.”

_”Sounds good, Jules. Stay safe.”_

She’s not expecting the last statement, a sort of _I care about you_ delivered as casually as if they were in a comfortable relationship instead of a weird co-parenting arrangement. Surprise steals her voice, and before she can respond, he’s hung up.

Well, then. It’s time for her to get back to work.

\---

“Hey, Gus,” Shawn says, “you know how you’ve been asking if you’ll ever get to meet Ellie? And I told you that was up to Jules and I’d let you know?”

“Uh-huh.” Gus looks up from his computer, an eyebrow raised. “What, did I finally pass her test? Did she run a background check or something?”

“Gus, if she did background checks, _I_ wouldn’t pass,” Shawn points out. “Anyway, Jules says she has to work late tonight, so we get to pick up Ellie and feed her dinner and all that. Are you down? ‘Cause I can do it by myself.”

Gus scoffs. “I don’t think you should be left alone with children, Shawn. And duh, of course I’m down. I’ve been waiting to meet this kid for weeks!”

“You know that’s right!” Shawn grins and holds his hand out for a fist bump, which Gus quickly returns. “We gotta get her sometime between now and five-thirty… wanna wrap up what you’re working on?”

His best friend barely spares a glance toward the computer. “It can wait, let’s go.”

“That’s what I was hoping you’d say!” With that, Shawn leaps off of his desk and heads for The Blueberry.

They make it to the daycare by ten after five. Shawn walks up to the chain-link fence first, looking for Ellie before he goes through the sign-out process. He spots her on the swings and waves; she waves back. Unfortunately, this requires her to take a hand off of the chain.

Shawn’s life flashes before his eyes as he sees her fly off the swing, arms and legs windmilling in midair. He legitimately considers if it would be possible to catch her, but she’s a full fifteen yards away from him, not to mention the fact that there’s a fence in the way. When she hits the ground, his heart stops.

One of the teachers is already rushing over as Ellie picks herself up. Shawn hurries to the gate, his eyes never leaving his daughter. Meanwhile, the teacher comforts Ellie as the tears begin to fall. “I want my dad,” she wails, her words punctuated by hiccuping sobs.

Shawn has the gate open by now, and the teacher waves him over when they make eye contact. He crouches in the mulch next to Ellie, pulling her into his arms without thinking.

“Hey, sweetie,” he murmurs. “Hey, you’re alright. Your teacher is gonna get you a bandaid, see? You’re gonna be just fine.”

Ellie continues her hysterical sobbing, and Shawn rubs her back gently. “I’m so sorry, honey. Want me to kiss it better?”

She nods, still crying. Shawn’s heart wrenches at the sight of her tear-stained face. Still, he ducks down and kisses her skinned knee, following it up with a wet wipe offered by the teacher.

Ellie cries harder. “It stings, Daddy!”

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart. It’s gonna feel better in just a bit. Look, you have a bandaid with starfish on it!”

The tears slow to hiccups as Ellie examines the bandaid. She winces when it’s applied, but quiets down once she can no longer see her slightly bleeding knee. Shawn presses a kiss to her head. “See? That’s better, isn’t it?”

Ellie nods and buries her face in his shoulder. When she wraps her arms around his neck, Shawn stands carefully. “Alright, honey. Let me just sign you out, and then we can go get some ice cream. Ice cream will help, don’t you think?”

Still sniffling, Ellie nods. She looks up at Shawn with a tear-stained face. “I love ice cream.”

Shawn smiles as much as he can, his heart still pounding so hard he’s sure she can feel it. “Awesome. So do I.”

\---

Shawn joins Gus at the vinyl booth in the diner, having just returned from helping Ellie wash her hands. His daughter, now fully recovered from her little scare, climbs into the seat beside him and reaches for the jar of crayons. Shawn smiles as he watches her color the sun on the coloring page light blue.

“You aren’t going to be in trouble with Juliet, are you?” Gus asks. “Because Elise got hurt with you in charge?”

Shawn shrugs. “I mean, I don’t know. I don’t think so… I’ll explain what happened, and hopefully she’ll understand.”

Gus nods in agreement. “She’s reasonable. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

“Still, it’s not exactly an auspicious start,” Shawn says with a wince. “I guess we’ll wait and see.”

“Daddy, Uncle Gus, look!” Ellie brandishes her coloring sheet excitedly, drawing smiles from both men. “It’s a yellow dinosaur!”

“That’s awesome, Ellie!” Shawn tells her, grinning.

“You know, dinosaurs might have been that color when they were around,” Gus says, his tone the same as if he were talking to an adult. “We kind of know what they look like from the bones, but noone really knows what color they were.”

“Cool!” Ellie grins and picks up her crayons again. “I’m gonna make this one pink.”

“Excellent choice,” Gus agrees. 

Shawn laughs at them both. “Man, the two of you are something else.”

“Look who’s talking,” Gus snarks. “It is _weird_ to see you with a kid, Shawn. I mean, you practically are one yourself.”

Shawn’s smile falls a bit. “Well, I don’t exactly know what I’m doing,” he admits, “but I’m doing my best… and hey, Ellie’s happy.”

His best friend nods. “That’s what really matters… not that I have any more experience than you.”

The waitress brings them burgers and fries, and Shawn redirects his attention toward the food. “I guess we’ll see how it goes.”

\---

Juliet gets out of work just about when she’d expected, and checks her phone to find a text from Shawn saying they’re at the beach. When she asks him to clarify, he sends a picture of him with Ellie on his shoulders under the Orchid St Boardwalk sign. She smiles at the two of them.

When she gets to the boardwalk, she finds Shawn, Ellie, and Gus kneeling in the sand, Shawn digging a ‘moat’ while Ellie and Gus decorate a sand castle with sea shells. “Aw, look at all of you,” she says aloud, slipping off her heels and walking towards them. The sight of Shawn and Ellie always puts a smile on her face.

“Hey Jules!” Shawn sits back on his heels, waving cheerfully. “Ellie, look who it is!”

“Mama!” Ellie jumps up and runs to Juliet, who lifts her easily into her arms.

“Hi, Ellie! How was your day? Was it a nice surprise for Daddy to come get you from school?”

“Yeah! I had a cheeseburger and fries for dinner, and Uncle Gus taught me about dinosaurs!”

Juliet smiles and kisses Ellie’s hair before setting her back down in the sand. “Sounds like a lot of fun… did Daddy help you build the sandcastle?”

“Yeah!” Ellie runs back to her dad, eager to show off their hard work.

\---

By the time Juliet gets Ellie bathed and dressed in PJs, it’s half-past eight. Later than her daughter normally stays up, yes, but today counts as special circumstances. As long as Shawn and Ellie had had a good time together, Juliet doesn’t care when she goes to bed.

“Do you want Daddy to come say goodnight?” she asks as she tucks Ellie into bed. 

Ellie nods sleepily. “Uh-huh.”

Juliet pokes her head out the door and calls for Shawn, whom she knows is in the living room. He appears within seconds.

“Goodnight, sweetheart,” he says, bending to kiss her forehead. Juliet hears Ellie give tired reply. “I’ll see you soon,” Shawn promises, slowly standing up. Juliet paces over and notes that Ellie is already fast asleep.

“You tuckered her out,” she murmurs, motioning for them to adjourn to the living room. “Thanks for your help tonight.”

“No problem, Jules. I love being her dad. The two of you make me, like, ridiculously happy.” He gives her a soft smile, the look in his eyes saying he’s dead serious. Juliet can’t stop herself from looking him over, admiring his stubbly jawline and how his t-shirt stretches over his chest. He’s attractive, damnit, no matter how hard she tries to ignore it.

“Well, I, um, appreciate it,” she says finally, ducking her head to hide her blush. “I… I like having you around. And Ellie does too.”

Shawn’s smile widens. “Anytime, Jules. Call anytime.” He winks. “And it doesn’t have to be related to Ellie.”

Once again, Juliet finds herself speechless, and he takes the opportunity to turn away, heading for the door.

_Damn him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do we think of Shawn's parenting abilities?


	6. Grandpa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not everyone knows about Elise...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! hope you're all doing well during quarantine, and staying safe and healthy 💙💙

Seeing as trusting Shawn and Gus with Ellie had worked well the first time, Juliet quickly grows more comfortable leaving her daughter in their hands. She still tries not to work too late too often, but a few later nights a month are increasing her confidence as a member of the police force. When the clock is ticking closer to five and Lassiter is still grumbling about the Blinn case, she offers an evening of delivery dinner and a case board, until they have some sort of lead.

“Misery loves company, I guess,” he mutters. It’s about the nicest thing he’s said to her all day. “Don’t you have a kid, though?”

Juliet nods. “I’ve got someone I can call. I’ll be right back.” She grabs her phone and takes a few steps away, leaning against a pillar that roughly demarcates the corner of the bullpen. Shawn picks up after a long wait, so long that she begins to wonder if he even has his phone with him. Still, she’s not prepared for the way he answers the phone.

_”But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet the sun.”_

She laughs a bit in spite of herself. “I didn’t know you knew Shakespeare, Romeo.”

_”Ouch, Jules, that hurts. I’ll have you know I am very well-read.”_

“Sure, Shawn.” Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Lassiter straighten up. Probably not a good sign.

_”So, what’s this about? Need help on a case, or just calling to hear my voice?”_

“Neither,” she says flatly. “Um, since this has worked well for us a few times before, could you get Ellie from school? I’m buckling down on a case here. I’ll pay you back for dinner, of course.”

_”Nonsense. A gentleman always pays.”_

“We’re not dating, Shawn,” she says, a warning in her voice.

_”Duh. But still, don’t worry about dinner. I’ll hang onto Ellie for you, and you keep catching killers.”_

“Fingers crossed,” she says, crossing her fingers out of habit. “Thanks for everything.”

_”You got it. Bye.”_

“Bye.”

Just as she’d feared, Lassiter is watching her through narrowed eyes when she returns to her desk. “Was that Spencer?”

She winces, well aware of how much the two despise each other. “Um, yeah, why?”

His scowl darkens. “You trust Spencer with your kid?”

Juliet shrugs. “Yeah…” _might as well rip the band-aid off._ “I mean, he is her dad.”

Carlton sits up, shocked. “I-- he-- what?”

She presses her lips together, looking down at her desk. “Um, we… we met, a few years ago. While I was in the academy. It’s not-- we’re not dating, or anything, but since we’re both in Santa Barbara… I thought I’d give him a go at being a dad.”

Her partner nods, clearly needing a moment to process this. “I guess that makes sense… but Spencer? Really!? And just when I was starting to think you had something useful between your ears.”

Juliet bristles. “Excuse me? Are you saying my decisions about who I sleep with have an impact on my intelligence? On if I’m able to do my job? Because I’ll remind you that I _do_ know why your last partner was transferred away.”

Lassiter glowers at her, then looks back down at his paperwork. Ordinarily, Juliet would try to smooth things over, but she’s not feeling flexible or mediative right now. _Serves him right,_ she thinks. _Someone needed to knock him off his high horse._

Still, the prospect of another few hours with Lassiter now seems infinitely less appealing.

\---

Tonight it’s just Shawn and Ellie, Gus having to work late thanks to spending most of his actual work day helping out with Mr. Dunn’s case. After dinner, Shawn takes his daughter-- _his daughter--_ to the beach. The sun is just starting to set, and to a four-year-old, multicolored clouds are the coolest thing in the world.

“Look, Daddy!” Ellie jumps up and down on the sidewalk next to him, tiny fingers pointing at the sky. “That one’s pink! And that one’s orange!”

“Yeah, they are!” Shawn laughs at her enthusiasm. “Hey, look, there’s the beach… see how the colors reflect on the water, too?”

Ellie squints at him. “What’s ‘reflect’?”

“Well, the sky turns colors because of light, right?”

Her nose scrunches up even more. “It does?”

“Yep. And the light hits the water, too. Because the water’s shiny, the light makes it look like the sky.”

For a minute, it appears he’s overloaded her brain. Then she nods, gives him a beaming smile, and tugs him further into the sand, down to the water. “Let’s make a sand castle!”

They don’t have buckets or shovels, but Shawn and Ellie manage to pile up a small mountain of sand that’s vaguely castle-esque, if you squint and tilt your head. Ellie insists on digging a moat, and when she’s done, Shawn gives her permission to run off and find sea shells. The beach is wide, flat, and nearly empty at this time of night-- he could literally keep track of her for miles, if she were to run off. No way she’s getting lost.

Main castle completed, he stands and stretches, brushing the sand off his jeans and walking around a bit to ease the muscle cramps from crouching for so long. He’s wandering near the docks, one eye still on Ellie, when he hears a familiar voice call his name.

“Hey, Shawn!” Henry calls. Shawn winces. _Shit, shit, shit._

“Oh, uh… hey, Pop.”

“What’re you doing out here this time of night?”

He shrugs. “Just getting some fresh air. Pretty sunset.”

Henry nods. “Beautiful sky.”

“What about you?” Shawn takes in the fishing rods in his father’s grasp. “Doing a little night fishing?”

“Yep.” Henry nods to the shiny lures on the end of his lines. “You can get all sorts of interesting species at night. One of these days I’ll bring you with me.”

Shawn snorts. “Maybe not.”

Henry rolls his eyes. “Should’ve seen that coming.”

“Well, you’re not the family psychic,” Shawn says with a grin. He does enjoy pushing his father’s buttons, not out of any antagonistic desire, but just to irritate him for the fun of it.

Henry clearly has a response to that, but they’re interrupted by a tiny figure hurrying through the sand. “Daddy! I found a starfish!”

For an instant, Shawn freezes. This is _not_ what was supposed to happen tonight. He hasn’t even planned, yet, for how to explain to his dad that he now has a granddaughter. Should he have thought about it sometime in the past two months? Well, yes, but Shawn has been a procrastinator since he’d learned the meaning of the word.

In the next heartbeat, he gets his head on straight. The whole reason he hasn’t introduced Ellie to Henry is that he’s worried about his father judging his parenting like he judges everything else in his life. Now is the time to show him he _does_ know how to be a good parent.

Step one: give the kid your _full_ attention.

“Woah,” he says softly, crouching down to look at the creature in Elise’s hands. “That’s-- that’s actually a starfish. Wow!”

She giggles and flips it over. “Look at the funny feet! They tickle.”

Shawn is just as enamored by the underbelly of the starfish as Ellie is. “Woah, that’s cool, sweetheart.” He reaches out to touch the rubbery suckers. “That’s really cool.”

Father and daughter are interrupted by the clearing of a throat behind them. “Shawn?” Henry asks. “Who’s this?”

Taking a deep breath, Shawn wraps an arm around Ellie, pulling her closer. “This is Elise O’Hara, Dad,” he says. “Your granddaughter.”

Henry blinks, his jaw dropping a little. Shawn turns to look at Ellie. “Ellie, this is… this is your grandpa. He’s my dad so that makes him your Grandpa Henry.”

Ellie nods, staring at Henry with wide eyes. 

“Hey, Ellie,” Henry says, clearing his throat again.

She giggles and buries her head in Shawn’s neck, suddenly going shy. One arm reaches out to wave. “Hiiiii.”

Shawn holds his father’s gaze for a long moment.

“Ellie,” he suggests, “Why don’t you go put the starfish back in the water, so he doesn’t dry out? I’m sure he wants to go home and see his family.”

“Okay!” Ellie runs off again, cradling the starfish in both hands. Shawn stands up, brushes the sand off his jeans, and faces hs dad.

“Shawn,” Henry says, “you have a kid.”

_No shit, sherlock._

“Yep.” He pops the ‘p’, reverting to nonchalance in an effort to hide his discomfort. “A little girl.”

“How old is she?”

“Four and a half.”

“Four and a half.” Henry fixes Shawn with a hard stare. “Am I supposed to believe you’ve been hiding a kid, not to mention whoever her mother is, for four and a half years?”

“Uh, no.” Shawn scrubs a hand over the back of his neck. “I, uh, only found out about her a few weeks ago.”

Henry sighs. “Who’s her mom, Shawn? You do _know,_ right?”

Shawn’s jaw clenches, but he takes a deep breath, trying to rein in his irritation. “Yeah, Dad, I do. I met _Juliet_ in Miami, in 2001. She was working as a waitress while going through the police academy, which I know because I got to know her _before_ we slept together, thanks.”

“Alright, alright.” Henry holds up his hands in surrender. “I just think I have the right to _ask,_ Shawn, since you knocked a girl up and didn’t know for four years.”

“Not that you still get to ask things like this, but we did use protection,” Shawn grumbles, scuffing his feet in the sand. Even at 29, talking to his dad about sex is uncomfortable. “It was just a hookup, I didn’t see the need to leave her my number. We were never going to cross paths again.”

“But you did,” Henry murmurs, nodding towards Ellie, silhouetted against the sunset. “Where is she now?”

“Working,” Shawn answers. Now, his shoulders straighten, his chin lifting a bit. His dad will like this part, he knows. “She’s a detective, at the SBPD.” He laughs mirthlessly. “Guess you got your wish, right? Next best thing to me being one.”

Henry gives him a dry smirk. “Only counts if you marry her.”

Shawn winces. _That seems like a problem for another day._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did Henry react how you expected? Better? Worse?


	7. Shawn, Gus, Juliet, and Ellie Vs The Red Phantom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shawn and Gus take Ellie to comic con.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how's everyone's saturday going? it's rly hot where I am so after I post this I'm off to chase my sibling around with a hose

Shawn is surprised when Juliet calls him one Saturday morning, the ring of his phone pulling him from a peaceful slumber. She apologizes for waking him (though he lies that she hasn’t) and asks if he could watch Ellie for the day-- Juliet has to work, because Lassie and the chief are at a weaponry seminar.

“Sure, sure,” he says, muffling a yawn as he stretches. “You want me to come get her?”

_“I’m on my way to your place now.”_

Shawn blinks. “Oh, okay. That works too.”

As he’s splashing water on his face, brushing his teeth, and just generally waking up, Shawn reflects on how things had worked out between Jules and his dad. They’d had a brief, awkward meeting that night on the beach, but Ellie had been tired and fussy and Juliet had quickly left the scene. That was that until yesterday, when Shawn had been lured into dinner with Henry and consequently grilled on every detail about Juliet.

He’s not worried, really. He thinks they’ll end up getting along… provided Henry can get past Shawn having a kid and not knowing about her for four years.

Surprisingly enough, he manages to be dressed by the time Juliet and Ellie arrive. His hair is mussed and he knows it’s clear he hasn’t shaved recently, but he’s dressed, so he counts it as a win.

“Good morning,” Juliet greets cheerfully. “Sorry about this; I really never expected to have to work on a Saturday.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Shawn says, waving a dismissive hand. “Ellie and I are gonna have loads of fun. Right El?”

She gives him a toothy smile. “Ice cream?”

Juliet raises an eyebrow, but her amused smirk tells Shawn he’s not really in trouble. He chuckles, looking back down at Ellie. “Maybe after lunch.”

\---

Juliet throws down her pen, the ballpoint scratching a dark line over the corner of her report as she does. She has so much to _do,_ and yet all of it is inane busywork, or casework wrapped in red tape. Meanwhile, she can’t stop thinking about that poor mother, who had come in asking them to find her son, but had been turned away-- he was eighteen, so she’d have to wait another day and a half before she could even report him _missing._

Juliet hates it.

_I love my job,_ she reminds herself. 

Today, stressed and strung-out and carrying the entire department on her shoulders, it’s a hard thing to remember.

_I love my job._

She heads off for another cup of coffee to refresh herself, and along the way, sinks into daydreams. Some world where the cops work like they do in action movies, and she can go rogue, run off to find that kid, track him down and save the day so well that it doesn’t matter how many rules she breaks along the way--

_Wait a minute._

She _knows_ someone who can do that.

Juliet hurries back to her desk, nearly spilling coffee on herself. She shuffles papers until she finds the one with Mrs. Breyfogle’s information on it, then pulls out her phone to call Shawn. Only, she freezes with her finger over the button.

Shawn has Ellie. Knowing him, he will strap her into a carseat that is in Gus’ car, not his, because he still only drives the damn motorcycle, and begin crime-solving with their daughter in tow. There shouldn’t be any reason for things to get dangerous… but knowing Shawn, they will, and Juliet’s not sure she trusts him to know when to quit, even if it’s for Ellie’s safety.

Shawn is her best bet to find this kid. And that’s her job. This is the smart, logical move.

Only, he’s not missing yet… nobody would know if she allowed things to travel through the correct channels…

Juliet swallows around a lump in her throat. Policy and rules aside, she knows what the right thing to do is.

“You’ve been a great dad thus far, Shawn,” she whispers, dialing his number. “Don’t stop now.”

\---

Shawn is very proud of himself for finding Malone. It hadn’t been hard, no, but Jules had specifically asked him to, and he’d done it. Not only that, but now he’s uncovered the whole twisted plot-- mostly-- and on top of all that, Ellie is having a grand old time. 

He won’t lie-- he is, too.

“Shawn!” He turns at the familiar voice, grinning when he sees Juliet weaving through the crowd. “Shawn, you said you had something urgent!”

Ellie squeals and throws herself at Juliet. She catches her and lifts her into her arms by reflex, kissing her daughter’s head. “Hi, sweetie.”

“Yeah!” He grins, holding up a bag of cotton candy. “Look at this! Four colors, Jules! I’ve only seen it with three!”

She opens her mouth, closes it again, and then pinches the bridge of her nose. “I thought you meant about the _case.”_

He blinks. “Oh, yeah, we think we know how the hostages are gonna die, too. But seriously, taste this!”

Juliet holds up a hand, both to pause the conversation and refuse the handful of cotton candy. “Hostages? Die? What is going on!?”

Gus holds out a comic book. “We’ve been finding the exact clues that the Green Spirit finds in this comic. And in the comic, the hostages are tied to explosives and the Spirit has to rescue them.”

She blinks. “You’re basing your entire investigation off of a comic book?”

“A comic book whose movie was so bad that it tanked the series and destroyed the writer’s career,” Shawn answers. “There’s a lot of motive in that.”

She concedes the point with a nod; it makes some sense. And they’re in the middle of a comic con-- if a superhero-themed crime was going to be committed, this would be the place for it.

“Alright…” she takes a deep breath. “Fill me in. What’s going on?”

The three--well, four-- of them scour the comic con, looking for clues and trying to narrow down suspects. It’s the writer, Shawn insists. He knows how to recreate the Green Spirit story because he created it in the first place.

Only during George Takei’s final presentation do they figure out exactly what’s going on. The explosives, and the hostages, are under the stage.

“Shawn, go,” Juliet says, and despite the time crunch, she stops walking and turns to face him. “Get out of here.”

“What? No!” He looks affronted that she would even suggest it. “This is the grand finale! The big reveal! We catch the bad guy and save the hostages!”

Juliet shakes her head; this is what she’d been afraid of. He’s not getting it. “Shawn, please, sit this one out. Take Ellie and go, get outside, wait in the car. Just in case.”

He blinks. “Wait… you think…”

She almost sighs in relief at the understanding in his eyes. “I think it’s not a risk I can afford to take.”

Shawn nods, then crouches down next to Ellie. “Alright, Ellie, it’s almost time to go home,” he says. “You wanna come get in the car with me and we’ll wait for your mom to finish working?”

She grins. “Can I have more cotton candy?”

Shawn laughs. “Sure. Why not.”

Watching them walk away, Juliet takes a deep breath, feeling much more focused. Her fears had been unwarranted. Shawn will actually listen, when it comes down to it.

Grimly determined, she and Gus head under the stage.

\---

Shawn and Juliet are the first ones outside the hospital nursery, watching the dozen babies through the glass window. It’s not that exciting, actually-- they can’t see the nametags, so he’s not entirely sure which one belongs to the chief. After a few minutes of silence, he turns to look at Jules.

“Babies are tiny,” he comments.

She laughs softly. “Yep. Especially newborns.”

He looks at her again, his chest tightening as he thinks longer on the subject. “How… uh, how big was Ellie, when she was born?”

Juliet smiles. “Seven pounds, one ounce. Just about average.”

Shawn nods. “She was-- she was healthy? Everything went well?” _God, how have I not thought to ask before?_

“She was perfect, Shawn. Born the day before she was due, took her sweet time getting here. I mean, it was a painful night, but nothing went wrong. She was a perfect newborn, and a pretty happy baby from there on out.”

The tightness in his chest strengthens. “I’m sorry I missed it,” he says hoarsely.

Juliet gives him a look he can’t quite decipher. “You’re here now.”

Against his better judgement, he moves his hand so it rests over hers on the edge of the window. “I’m here now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> when I remembered this was the ep where Iris was born I was like "oh I _need_ to do sth with that"


	8. Wine-Fueled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shawn and Juliet's evening together goes... awry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is one of my fav chaps in the story, actually. it was also one of the hardest to write.

The weeks after the comic con case are calm, well, as calm as usual. One Friday night in September sees Shawn having dinner with Juliet and Ellie once again. Thankfully, it’s not because Juliet had been working late-- more and more often, she finds herself inviting Shawn to dinner for no real reason at all. Ellie likes having him around, she tells him. What she doesn’t say is that she finds herself enjoying it, too.

It’s getting late, the clock ticking towards nine o’clock. Juliet is getting Ellie, fresh from her bath, into a set of pajamas.

“Can Daddy read me a story tonight?”

Juliet smiles. Every time Shawn is over, Ellie asks for her story to be read by him. “Sure,” she says. “I’ll go tell him.”

When she sees Shawn, she pauses for a moment in the hall, just to watch him. He’s drying off the dishes, even putting them away, because he’s been here often enough to know what goes where. 

It feels so natural, Juliet thinks. Like they’re any old family, getting their child off to bed and cleaning up what needs to be cleaned before they turn in themselves. The whole night feels domestic, comfortable… fake.

Because they’re not just another family. There are no rings on their fingers. After he says goodnight to Ellie, Shawn will go home. This is all just a crazy facade.

During her ruminations, Shawn has caught sight of her. “Hey, Jules,” he says. “Is Ellie in bed?”

Juliet nods. “She wants you to read her a bedtime story.”

“Awesome,” Shawn says, grinning. He towels off his hands and heads down the hall to the bedrooms.

The look on his face sticks with Juliet. Sure, they’re not doing this the classic way, and things are complicated and a little stressful at times, but Shawn and Ellie adore each other. She knows she’s made the right decision, bringing Shawn into Ellie’s life. It just means hers is a little more confusing.

Really, the kitchen is clean; Shawn has done everything that needs to be done. She can hear him reading dramatically from the bedroom, and Ellie giggling at every word. Yes, she could go and join them, but she decides against it; this is Shawn’s time with Ellie. She can give them a few minutes.

Still alone with her thoughts and yearnings, Juliet’s gaze falls to the bottle of wine on top of the fridge, the lone alcohol in the house. Becoming a parent at the age of twenty meant that she hadn’t ever really had much time for drinking, and she’s never picked up the habit. This bottle is a thank-you gift from a nice winery where someone had found a dead body-- she and Lassiter had solved the case in time to prevent too much bad press, and the owners had been thankful.

Before she can think too much about it, she grabs the wine and sets it on the table, then reaches for two glasses out of the cabinets.

Maybe it’s selfish, maybe it’s ill-advised, but she can’t help but want this time with Shawn to last a little longer.

\---

Leaving Ellie’s room with her just about dozing off, Shawn is surprised to find Juliet waiting for him with two glasses of wine. He’ll admit he doesn’t really know what they’re calling this… co-parenting arrangement, but he’s pretty sure whatever it is doesn’t involve sharing a bottle of wine late into the night.

Then he takes a look at Jules, blushing and trying not to look at him and just so perfect without even trying, and decides he doesn’t care all that much.

“I guess you’re not kicking me out yet,” he says, and the grin he gives her now is flirtier than he’s risked so far.

She blushes and shakes her head, laughing softly. “I thought we could have a drink first. Just a glass, I mean, I know you still have to drive home.”

“Sounds great.” Shawn’s not gonna lie; he’s into Juliet. He recognizes that that’s not something he can do anything about just yet, but if she’s giving him wine-- _nice_ wine, he can tell from the label-- it can’t hurt to push the boundaries a little bit. So when she hands him a glass, he takes it and sits himself down on the couch, beckoning her over next to him.

They talk about nothing, about everything. Admittedly, wine has never been Shawn’s best alcohol-- around the third glass, he’s a little buzzed. Though Juliet had said they would just have one, she’s soon curled into his side, giggling even when he’s not telling a joke, and she seems to care infinitely less about how he’s getting home tonight.

Shawn doesn’t think he’s going home tonight.

“You’re cute when you’re drunk, Jules,” he says, his words more slurred than he would expect.

She just giggles more. “Not drunk. Jus’ tipsy.” She takes a swig from the bottle; they’ve pretty much given up on glasses by now.

Shawn shrugs. “Same difference. Hell, you’re cute all the time.”

Juliet sets the bottle down, turning to look him in the eye. She seems to slowly realize how close they are. “You’re not so bad yourself,” she whispers.

Grinning, he leans closer. “Jules?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re totally into me, right?”

She smirks. “And if I was?”

He reaches out, gently pushing a wispy blonde curl out of her face. “Well, we had so much fun way back when…”

Juliet leans in even closer, and then her lips are on his, and the kiss is long and soft and _hot._

“This is a bad idea, isn’t it?” she asks, her lips still close enough to brush his.

Shawn kisses her again. “Eh, maybe. But it’ll be fun tonight.”

\---

Shawn is no stranger to waking up naked and hungover in a bed he doesn’t recognize.

The screaming child is new, though.

He’s woken abruptly from the sleep of the dead by a violent jostling of the bed and then:

“Daddy!”

Jolting awake, he quickly realizes he’s not wearing any clothes, and tug at the blankets to try to conceal this fact. Luckily, Ellie’s attention has been directed elsewhere.

“Mama!” she shrieks, her shrill, excited voice making Shawn’s head pound. “Mama, Daddy’s still here!”

Shawn watches Juliet wake up, sees the moment she figures out what’s happened, and tugs up the sheet just like he had. “Oh, yeah, he is, sweetie,” she says hoarsely, sounding about as good as Shawn feels.

“Is he gonna have breakfast with us, too?”

“Sure,” Juliet rasps. “Hey, why don’t you go pick out what you want for breakfast? Daddy and I will be right there.”

“Okay!” With that, Ellie leaps off the bed and scurries into the kitchen. Finally alone, Shawn turns to look at Juliet.

“So, uh, I guess we…”

She nods, looking away from him. “We did.”

He’s really not sure how to handle this; it’s more complicated than your average one night stand. “Um… sorry?”

Juliet is already climbing out of bed, and he tries not to be disappointed when she quickly gets dressed. “You know what, I’m going to make some coffee,” she says. “Should help with the hangover.”

“Yeah,” he says. She’s already leaving the room. “Thanks.”

\---

Juliet cannot believe herself.

_Thank God it’s a Saturday,_ she thinks, pouring quick-mix pancake batter onto the griddle. Shawn is behind her, pouring coffee, so she focuses intently on the cooking pancakes because she doesn’t even want to _look_ at him right now.

What had she been thinking, letting things go that far last night? She’d known from the start that the wine was unnecessary, a bad idea. And to make matters worse, when she’d checked the trash can this morning, she’d seen no evidence that they’d used any sort of protection. How has she not learned this lesson already?

Shawn sets down a mug of hot coffee next to her, and she gulps it down, ignoring the way it burns her throat and how her stomach protests. The caffeine has reached her brain by the time she’s cooked a few more pancakes. “Shawn, can you make pancakes?”

“From this point, yeah, I’m just no good with the batter.”

“Okay, um, don’t burn the house down, and keep an eye on Ellie; she’s watching Mickey Mouse in the living room.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Where are you going?”

She grabs her wallet and car keys. “To the pharmacy, for some Plan B.”

“Oh, yeah.” He winces, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. “Sorry.”

Juliet sighs and closes her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Please stop apologizing.”

\---

The rest of the morning is, needless to say, awkward.

By the time Juliet returns, there’s a plate with a heaping stack of pancaked on it, and Shawn is getting out the toppings, including syrup, butter, and all sorts of fruit, including pineapple. She has a feeling he’s the kind of guy who likes whipped cream on his pancakes, but she doesn’t have any in the house.

Shawn stays for breakfast at Ellie’s request, but leaves soon after. He offers to help with the cleanup, but Juliet declines. She needs some time to clear her head, and besides, the next conversation they need to have should happen away from tiny ears, if possible.

With Shawn leaving and Ellie getting herself dressed-- it’s Saturday, whatever tutu and museum shirt combo she chooses will be acceptable-- Juliet has time to think as she loads the dishwasher. Now that she’s fed and caffeinated, her thoughts are more productive than the original endless loop of “what was I thinking, what I was I thinking, what was I _thinking._ ” 

She’s attracted to Shawn, there’s no denying that. Last night had proved that the chemistry from all those years ago was definitely still there.

And after getting to know him, seeing him work hard to solve crimes and help people, seeing him with Ellie, she’s pretty sure the emotional component of the relationship is there, too. Shawn’s a good guy. If things were different, she might want to go out with him a few times, see what could happen.

But relationships are messy, especially in the beginning, and _especially_ seeing as they work together. There are too many ways this could all go wrong. If Shawn is in her life, he’s in it for Ellie, and Juliet can’t risk a romance messing all of that up.

By the time she hits the start button on the dishwasher, her mind is made up, the path forward clear.

Now she just has to figure out how to explain all of this to Shawn...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what do we think happens next?


	9. Awkward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shawn deals with the aftermath of sleeping with Juliet. Jules has something to tell him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did AO3 update it's interface or sth?? Buttons look different when you click them, at least on Chrome. So in short, I have nothing useful to say this morning

Shawn hadn’t really anticipated just how _awkward_ it would be to work a case with Juliet, after sleeping together. He supposes he should have seen it coming-- after all, things at home have been awkward, too, since it happened-- but it still surprises him, how distracted he finds himself.

Juliet doesn’t seem to have any problem with it, of course. But she’s calm and collected and professional, all things that he takes pride in _not_ being. So, while she’s rattling off connections between the two “abductions” they’re working on, he stares at her, watching her blonde curls swish as she moves. When he knows how they look spread over his pillow, it’s very distracting.

To be fair, he’s had this knowledge the whole time she’s been in Santa Barbara. It’s not so much the knowing that’s an issue as the knowing she still _wants_ it. Or at least, she had… ever since their night together, she seems to have put up a wall between them. He still comes to the park and the beach and sometimes for dinner, and everything with Ellie is just like normal, but things with Juliet are… not.

He really needs to get his mind off of things.

“Hey, Gus,” he asks quietly, leaning over to whisper in his friend’s ear, “how do you feel about spray tans?”

\---

“Speed dating,” Lassiter scoffs. “What ridiculous thing will he come up with next?”

“Detective, with so many people at the event, we’ll need more than one person investigating to get any information,” the chief tells him. “You and O’Hara are to accompany Spencer and Guster. It’s merely a short-term undercover role.”

Juliet nods obediently, less grudgingly than her partner, but she’s not too thrilled either. A speed dating event with Shawn is exactly where she doesn’t want to be-- hell, she doesn’t like the sound of it at all. It’s not like she’s been dating much since Ellie was born, and she worries she won’t be able to blend into the environment.

As it turns out, she’s both right and wrong.

She blends in seamlessly, in a shirt and jeans, her hair loose around her shoulders. The men she ends up with all give her their full attention, though she’s pretty sure they don’t hear a word she says. In terms of the case, it’s a resounding success, but Juliet is ridiculously uncomfortable with the whole thing. She’s almost glad for a five-minute reprieve with Lassiter, who might be awkward but at least won’t stare at her chest the whole time.

And then she finds herself on a “date” with Shawn.

He grins as he sits down. “So, you come here often?”

She rolls her eyes, fidgeting with the cocktail napkin on the table. “Your lines haven’t gotten any better in the past five years,” she mumbles, but the near-flirty banter isn’t coming so easily to her now.

Shawn seems to pick up on her discomfort. “Too soon?”

She shrugs. They haven’t talked about it, really, how to handle this going forward. But they need to, she knows they need to. Letting this hang unsaid between them means risking the collapse of everything they’ve built thus far. Juliet can’t let her uneasiness drive Shawn away… she can’t do that to Ellie.

“Um, Shawn,” she says, “I know this is an… unconventional venue, but I would like to clear some things up between us, regarding our, ah, night together.”

Shawn’s eyes widen. “Oh, uh, yeah, sure! What-- how should we, um, handle it?””

She tucks her hair behind her ear. “Well, I, personally, am comfortable with one night stands, like… the first time we met.” She wishes she weren’t blushing. “And I certainly like a good old-fashioned dinner date, movie date, you know, classic relationship. But I don’t-- I don’t do friends with benefits.”

Shawn nods.”I can respect that.”

“So,” Juliet takes a deep breath, straightening her spine, “what happened between us… that can’t happen again, Shawn. You’re a part of Ellie’s life, so you’re a part of mine, too. I don’t want to risk you walking out on her if things were to get weird or difficult between us.”

Shawn nods slowly, leaning back in his chair. “Do you think I would do that?”

She stares at him for a long moment, never breaking eye contact. “Love and sex and emotions make _everything_ complicated, Shawn. I’m not willing to take that risk.”

“Okay, you’re right, that’s fair.” Shawn rubs a hand over the back of his neck. “That’s fair.”

“I’m not trying to shut you out, Shawn,” Juliet murmurs, reaching out to rest her hand over his. “We just need to… reset. We’re friends, and we’re parents, but we’re not…”

“Yeah.” Shawn nods. “Yeah.”

And then a bell dings, and just like that, they’re off to the next speed date.

\---

Shawn spins slowly in his desk chair, staring at the ceiling. He’s trying to think, trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle and solve the case, but he can only think of Jules, of how she’d blushed, of the feeling of her hand in his, of how that could’ve been a real date under any other circumstances.

“Gus,” he says, “I think I should ask Jules out. Like, on a date. A legitimate one.”

His best friend looks up from his computer. “Uh, Shawn? That seems like a bad idea.”

“She was very clear during the speed date,” he muses. “If I’m in her life, I have to stick around. No casual sex.” He sits up to make eye contact with Gus. “But she hasn’t sworn off dating altogether.”

Gus narrows his eyes. “That’s a thin line to walk, Shawn. Especially if she just shut you down.”

“But she didn’t!”

“She did, and you know it.”

Shawn sighs and nods, but he’s not ready to admit defeat. If there’s one woman worth some hard work, it’s Juliet.

He cares about Jules, so much that he doesn’t know what to do. Once again spinning listlessly, he looks back up at the ceiling.

_So, where do I go from here?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Season one Shawn? Having eMoTiOnS?? It's more likely than you think


	10. Family Beach Trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What it says on the tin... this rather chaotic fam takes a trip to the beach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been up since 6:30 and I'm not happy about it

Shawn is more focused on playing tetris than on the phone conversation with his dad, but to be fair, he has a higher ability to focus than most people-- he just doesn’t use it very much.

_”I’d like to have lunch as a family this Sunday, Shawn,”_ Henry says.

Shawn rotates a z-shaped piece on the screen. “Alright, sure.”

_”Maybe we could make it a picnic at the beach. You loved those as a kid.”_

“You and Mom hated them,” Shawn chuckles. “I got so sandy.”

_”Hopefully you’re big enough to stay a bit cleaner now.”_

The block falls right where he’d hoped it would. “Don’t count on it.”

It’s Henry’s turn to laugh softly. _”One pm Sunday on the beach, then? Maybe more towards my place than the docks; fewer people.”_

“Whatever works for you.” Shawn squints at the screen; this next piece is not going to fit well. “Want me to bring anything? Other than pineapple, I mean, that’s a given.”

_”I’d like you to bring Ellie and Juliet.”_

Shawn freezes; the tetris piece lands incorrectly and makes the stack taller than the screen. Game over. “Sorry, what?”

_”I said family picnic, Shawn. And frankly, I’d like to know your family a little more. From what you’ve told me, I would hope I’ll be seeing more of them.”_

Shawn frowns, uncomfortable with the proposition. But his dad is right; Jules and Ellie are a part of his family now, and it’s not like he can keep all of the different parts in little boxes, where they’ll never interact. He sighs. “Gus comes too.”

_”Oh, of course.”_

Shawn hopes he’s not making a big mistake. “Well then, I guess we’ll see you Sunday.”

\---

“Shawn,” Gus asks, “have Juliet and Ellie even met your dad?”

He shrugs. “Once.”

“And you’re not the slightest bit concerned that things are going to get awkward?”

“Eeeeh…” Shawn makes a ‘so-so’ motion with his hand. “Come on, Gus, it’s the beach. What’s the worst that could happen?”

His best friend sighs. “You know I hate it when you say things like that.”

Shaking his head, Shawn picks up the pace, nearly dragging Gus through the beach access parking lot-- he’s spotted a familiar green bug. “Hey, Jules!”

It’s not Juliet who responds first, but Ellie, shooting out from between the cars like an excited cat. “Daddy!” She throws her arms around his legs, then realizes who else is with him. “Uncle Gus!”

“Hi Ellie!” Gus waves.

Juliet appears with a large tote bag and a firm look on her face. “Elise, you know you’re not supposed to run away from me in the parking lot.”

“Sorry Mama,” Ellie says, looking barely abashed. “Daddy, is Grandpa coming?”

“He sure is, Ellie,” Shawn tells her, grinning to hide his nerves. “He’s already setting up our spot on the beach, since he lives closer.”

“Yay!” Ellie grabs one of Shawn’s hands and one of Juliet’s and drags them toward the beach access ramp. “C’mon, let’s go!”

They follow her up the ramp, Shawn picking up Ellie’s flip-flops when she kicks them off. As they are going down the stairs to the actual beach, Shawn gets an idea.

“Hey, Jules, when you were a kid, did your parents ever do that thing where you held their hands and they swung you in the air?”

She grins at him. “Ellie! When you get to the last stair, jump!”

Ellie jumps, and Shawn and Juliet swing her through the air between them. When they set her down, she’s laughing so hard that she has to hang onto Shawn to stay upright.

He’s continually amazed by the sheer amount of _joy_ always emanating from his little girl.

A few yards down the beach, they find Henry, already set up with an umbrella, a few chairs, and a picnic blanket. When he sees Shawn, he throws an arm up and waves.

“Hey, Dad,” Shawn greets, taking the chair next to him. “Nice setup, thanks.”

“No problem,” Henry answers. “Hey, Gus. Hi, Juliet.”

Juliet gives Henry a polite smile even as she tries to get Ellie to wear a sunhat. “Afternoon, Mr. Spencer.”

“Oh, call me Henry.”

Even Shawn can feel the awkwardness following that, but Juliet nods and smiles again. “Henry.”

Shawn practically squirms in his seat. _Maybe this is going to be harder than I thought._

\---

This afternoon at the beach with Shawn’s dad is nowhere near as awkward as Juliet had worried. Sure, introductions had been a bit rough, but as soon as the food had come out, everyone had relaxed, and the atmosphere had become much more pleasant. She’s enjoying herself; surprisingly, she hasn’t been to the beach since leaving Miami.

Now, Shawn and Gus are playing with Ellie in the ocean, holding onto her arm or the strap of her life jacket as they help her jump the waves. Juliet is keeping a watchful eye on them, but laying out in the sun is nice, too. She stretches out, her chin propped in her hands so she can watch Shawn and Ellie, the sum warm on her back. “Mmm, this is nice.”

“Are you a beach lover, Juliet?”

She startles; she’s almost forgotten about Henry’s presence. “Oh, yeah. I’m from Miami; lived there most of my life. I haven’t had time to get out to the beach since I moved here, though, which is a shame.”

“Oh, yeah, Shawn did say something about Miami.” There’s a pause, and Juliet hears a clinking of aluminum that suggests Henry is sipping at his beer. “We could do more of these trips, you know. Used to do ‘em all the time, when Shawn was a kid. Now that he’s back in town, and there’s another pipsqueak in the family… we might be pulling out the beach toys more often.”

Juliet sits up and turns around at that, not bothering to hide the broad smile spreading over her face. “Henry… thank you.”

“There’s no need to thank me, Juliet,” he says, with a kind smile. “I’m just glad I finally got to meet my first grandchild.”

She nods. “Well, I’m thanking you anyway. Moving to Santa Barbara could’ve been a lot worse. Introducing Ellie to Shawn, to you, could’ve gone a lot worse.But she has an even bigger family now, one that loves her. And that’s not something I’m going to take for granted.”

Henry looks at her for a long minute, his smile getting a little bit sad. “Then you’re welcome, Juliet,” he says finally. “Welcome to the family.”

\---

Shawn is splayed out under the umbrella, half on the sand, half on the towel. Gus is next to him, sipping at a beer, while Juliet sits a few feet away, Ellie in her lap, devouring a slice of watermelon. Shawn watches them with adoration as he munches on his own slice of fruit.

“You’ve got a little something on your face, Miss Elise,” Juliet murmurs, taking the watermelon rind from Ellie and searching for a paper towel. Shawn spies a packet of wet wipes in her bag, which at the moment is closer to him than to her, and tosses it to her.

“Hey, Shawn.” Henry, the only one actually in a beach chair, reaches down to tap him on the shoulder. “You’ve made a bit of a mess yourself.”

Shawn grins, taking the proffered wipe from Juliet. “Well, I guess it’s genetic.”

Juliet and Gus laugh; Henry snorts and shakes his head. Shawn lays back in the sand, grinning as his eyes drift closed. Today is going well, it’s awesome, even. He doesn’t even know why he was worried.

If there’s one thing Shawn Spencer knows how to do, it’s have fun at the beach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really need to finish editing this story #rip


	11. Slumber Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Juliet goes undercover, Shawn gets a week to himself with Ellie... but is it worth the price of constantly worrying about Jules?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting last week, I was camping and forgot to think ahead :( but here's the penultimate chapter of this fic!

One morning in late October, Juliet finds herself being summoned to the chief's office, alone, without any sort of idea as to why. She’s more than a little nervous as she steps in, which only increases when Chief Vick indicates she should shut the door.

Chief Vick doesn’t waste time. “Detective O’Hara, I assume you’ve heard about the murder of Doreen Harthan?”

Juliet nods, mentally running through the details of the sorority girl’s untimely death. “Yes, chief. My understanding is that casework is currently at a standstill due to lack of evidence.”

“That’s correct,” the chief confirms, “although it’s not so much a lack of evidence as a lack of ability to obtain it.”

“I’m afraid I don’t follow.”

“We’ve talked to the girl’s family, her employer, her teachers,” Karen explains, “but we’ve gotten basically nothing from the members of her sorority. All college girls who see no reason to tell the police anything beyond what they’re explicitly asked. Half of them don’t seem to remember anything at all.”

Juliet frowns. “To me, that would be suspect.”

“You’re absolutely right, Detective, but we’re not getting anywhere with those girls unless we have someone on the inside.”

She blinks, understanding slowly dawning. “The inside?”

“Have you ever worked undercover, Detective?”

“Occasionally. I’ve been the bait, for lack of a better word, in a couple of drug stings.”

The chief seems satisfied with that. “Believe me, that’s harder work than what you’d do in the sorority. However, I have to warn you--this assignment could be over in a week, or it could last a month; from here, there’s no telling. I understand you have family obligations, so repetitive long hours may not work.”

Juliet nods slowly, thinking through it. “Would it be overnight?”

“Not fully. It’s likely that there would be some functions you’d have to attend, but I wouldn’t expect you to be away for more than two days consecutively. And this isn’t deep cover, either-- you’ll be returning to the station for check-ins when possible.”

“Alright.” Juliet is still processing, thinking aloud, which is her next mistake. “Okay, that should work… I’m sure I can get something set up with Shawn.”

The chief blinks. “What does Mr. Spencer have to do with this?”

“Oh.” Juliet holds back a physical wince. _This is going to sound really bad._ “Um, Shawn is Elise’s father.” She presses her lips together, trying to hold Chief Vick’s gaze. “We met, briefly, a few years ago, but there’s-- there’s nothing, uh, going on between us now.”

“That would’ve been nice to know, Detective,” Karen says slowly, frowning thunderously. “I’m sure you’re aware we have an anti-fraternization policy.”

Juliet only nods, deciding not to press her point that there’s no longer any fraternization going on.

“However, Mr. Spencer is not technically an employee of this department… and I’ll take you at your word that there is no longer any sort of romantic entanglement. I’ll be blunt, Juliet: I need you.”

She blinks, surprise stealing her voice.

“So don’t do anything _stupid,”_ Karen says, “and we won’t have a problem. Am I clear?”

“Yes, Chief,” Juliet agrees, nodding quickly. “Of course.”

“Good.” Karen reaches into a drawer in her desk. “Now, onto the details of your cover identity…”

\---

Sitting at an outdoor table of a local cafe, Shawn slurps at his smoothie as Juliet finishes her explanation. 

“So, Elise, you’re going to have to be very good for Daddy while I’m not here, okay? I will be home to say goodnight but probably not much else, it’s just gonna be the two of you.”

“Okay!” Ellie seems very excited at the idea of multiple days alone with Shawn. He wonders how excited she’ll be when she learns he’s not gonna be taking her to the beach every single day or feeding her ice cream for breakfast. “When are you gonna be home, Mama?”

Juliet frowns, looking a little sad. “I’m not quite sure, honey. It’s gonna be a week or two. Remember how long that is?”

“Shorter than a month but longer than a day,” Ellie recites.

“Right.” Juliet leans over to kiss her daughter’s hair. “So tonight, Daddy’s going to come over for dinner, and that’s going to be like normal. But tomorrow, I’m gonna need extra hugs when I leave for work, okay? Because I won’t be back until late.”

Ellie nods solemnly. “I’m good at hugs.”

Juliet beams at her; Shawn grins at both of them. “Yes you are, sweetie,” Juliet agrees. “You’re very good at hugs.”

\---

It’s been almost a week of Jules being undercover, and tonight, the second Friday, is the first night she has to stay overnight at the sorority house. So Shawn is alone with Ellie, in Jules’ apartment, and it feels _weird_ without her there.

Ellie will be going to bed within the hour, but for now, they’re finishing up _Sleeping Beauty._ While watching a movie with his daughter is fun, it certainly leaves room for Shawn’s mind to wander.

A combination of nerves and respect for Juliet’s boundaries have kept Shawn from asking her out. It has not kept him from daydreaming about some dumb yet fun sort of date, like a movie or a long walk in the park or throwing darts to decide on a restaurant for dinner.

He really wants to take a chance, to go on a date with Juliet and see where it leads, but the potential consequences of a fallout between them keep him frozen in inaction. He’s terrified that if he were to mess up with Jules, he would lose Ellie.

Speaking of which, when he looks down, he realizes his daughter has fallen asleep, her head tucked under his arm and her hands holding onto his shirt. He smiles and kisses the top of her hair.

“Alright, kiddo. Let’s get you into bed.”

\---

Juliet remembers following Alice into the derelict asylum. She remembers the weird setup, the adrenaline, the fight-or-flight reflex kicking in when Alice had cornered her in the room where the first murder had occurred. 

After that, she doesn’t remember a thing until Shawn, wrapping his hands over hers, slowly taking the axe from her hands.

“Alright,” he breathes. “It’s alright, Jules. You did it. We caught the bad guy. Everything is fine.”

She nods, taking a shaky breath. “Good.” Another one. “Good.”

As the room comes into focus, she takes it all in. Gus is leaning against the doorframe, panting. Shawn is still watching her carefully, worry and a bit of something else clear in his gaze. Lassiter is in the corner, cuffing their perp. Once Juliet trusts herself to walk without stumbling, she crosses the room and retrieves her purse, with her badge and her gun.

“Thanks, partner,” she says to Carlton.

He nods. “You did all the hard work,” he tells her, and she smiles at the compliment.

“Uh, can we get out of here?” Gus asks. “This place gives me the heebie-jeebies.”

Lassiter snorts. “Nobody asked you to be here in the first place, Guster.”

“Hey! If it weren’t for me and Shawn, you wouldn’t even have gotten here in time!”

There’s a pause as they collectively shiver, all thinking about what could’ve happened. Juliet catches herself reaching for Shawn’s hand, but quickly pulls away.

“Whatever,” Lassiter grumbles. “Let’s go.”

They all leave the asylum quickly, but Juliet finds herself trailing behind once they make it to the parking lot. Carlton, of course, is locking Alice in the back of his Crown Vic, and Gus has bolted for the Echo, but Shawn and Juliet are still more or less strolling aimlessly, going nowhere in particular.

Again, she realizes she’s almost holding his hand. They are so close-- shoulder to shoulder, the back of their hands brushing. She shakes herself, and then they both speak at once.

“Jules--”

“I need to get back to the station.”

“Okay,” Shawn hedges, “but, um, can I just say what I was gonna--”

She nods quickly, moving away a bit so she can look at him, hoping her eyes aren’t as wide as she thinks. “Yeah, yeah, sure.”

“I want you to go on a date with me,” Shawn blurts. Before she can react, he winces. “That was not what I wanted to start with.”

Juliet nods, feeling rather on-edge. “I’ll give you a do-over.”

“Okay, okay,” he says, running a hand through his hair and heaving a sigh. “Jules, I have a lot of feelings for you. Like, _a lot._ A lot of complicated, confusing feelings.”

She nods, urging him to go on. Really, she feels the same. 

“I totally respect what you said a while back, about not wanting to jeopardize our thing with Ellie. And yeah, romance can get messy. But I- I think I’m willing to try.” He takes another deep breath. “I’m pretty damn scared, yeah. But tonight-- tonight was scarier than anything holding me back. I just, I feel like… if I don’t ask now, if I don’t at least try, I’m gonna lose the chance, and regret it forever.”

Juliet stares at him, open-mouthed. If this were a movie, his dramatic confession would lead her to kiss him passionately right there in the parking lot, thus concluding their romantic arc in the story. But it’s not a rom-com, it’s real life. And this… this is just the beginning.

(It’s also technically a crime scene, and she has work to be doing, and she’s not about to kiss Shawn right in front of Gus _and_ Lassiter.)

“Okay,” she agrees. “Okay, yeah, I’ll go on a date.”

Shawn looks shocked. “Wait, seriously?”

“Yeah!” She laughs a little. “We-- we have more to talk about and figure out, but for now I’m just gonna go with ‘yes’.” She glances over her shoulder. “I have to go, Shawn.”

He’s got a dopey grin on her face. “Oh, yeah, you do. Right. Well, I’ll, um, see you tonight? I’m gonna head back and get Ellie from my dad…”

Juliet nods, a smile blossoming over her face. “I’ll see you later tonight. Maybe then we can discuss where you’ll take me for our first date.”

Sure, she’s only twenty minutes separated from almost dying, but the promise of a first date with Shawn, a real one, is enough to wash all of the darkness away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, starting to resolve the UST...


	12. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shawn can't believe his luck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guys... this is it! The last chapter.... it's been a loooong time since I actually finished something.

Shawn can’t believe his luck.

“I still can’t believe Juliet actually agreed to go out with you,” Gus says, sitting on Shawn’s bed.

“Yeah, me neither, bud,” Shawn agrees. “Which tie?”

Gus glares at the neon pink one he’s holding out. _”Not_ that one.”

Shawn blows a raspberry and returns to his closet. “You know what, screw the tie, I only have fifteen minutes. What about this button-down with my nice slacks?”

“Acceptable,” Gus agrees. “You’ll look nice, but also laid-back. Good first date attire.”

“You know that’s right,” Shawn agrees with a grin. He quickly buttons the pressed blue button-down, tucking it into his slacks. “How’s my hair?”

“Ridiculous and over the top, as always.”

“Perfect.” It takes another few minutes to find his wallet, keys, and leather jacket,but Shawn is out the door in plenty of time. Gus follows him, pausing at his Blueberry. “Shawn, are you sure you want to pick Juliet up on your motorcycle?”

“Of course!” Shawn throws him a wink. “It’ll be fun.”

\---

Juliet smooths the skirt of her sundress, checking her hair one last time as she hears the purr of an engine in her driveway. She can’t remember the last time she went on a date like this… just a simple dinner, a night of getting dressed up and having fun with the promise of so much more yet to come…

Of course, Gus has volunteered to babysit Ellie, so he and Shawn have arrived together. Juliet is surprised to look out the window and see that Shawn has come on his motorcycle. This date is going to be more interesting than she’d thought.

“Hey, Gus,” she greets, opening the door. “Thank you so much for staying with Ellie tonight. I don’t think Shawn and I will be super late, but she should go to bed before nine.”  
“Sure thing,” Gus agrees. “I’ve been here with Shawn enough to know what to make for dinner… I think we’ll be alright.”

Juliet grins. “I’m sure you will.” She grabs her purse, then turns to call down the hall. “Ellie, sweetheart, Uncle Gus is here! Come give me a hug before I go.”

“Bye Mama!” Ellie comes hurtling down the hall, throwing herself at Juliet. They hug tightly but briefly, Ellie quickly distracted by Gus. “Uncle Gus!”

Gus gives her a first bump. “Are we gonna have fun tonight, Ellie?”

“Yeah!”

Juliet bends to kiss her daughter on the head. “Alright, sweetheart, you be good for Uncle Gus. I might not be home before you go to bed, but I’ll come kiss you goodnight.”

Ellie turns and grabs Juliet’s leg, looking up at her. “You’re going with Daddy, right?”

“Yes, we’re going out to a grown-up dinner.”

“Will Daddy come kiss me goodnight?”

Juliet smiles. “I’m sure he will, sweetie. We’ll see you later.”

Successfully disentangling from her daughter, Juliet leaves the apartment and heads down the stairs, smiling at the sight of Shawn waiting by his motorbike. “This is a surprise,” she says, “but the leather jacket with the button down is a really good look.”

He gives her a fiery smirk. “Glad you like it, Jules.” Turning to the back of his bike, he pulls out an extra helmet. “Here… I hate to ruin your gorgeous hair, but safety first.”

She gives him a rather flirtatious smile of her own as she straps on the helmet. “Well, common sense is a virtue.”

Shawn chuckles. “Yeah, I don’t have much of that.”

\---

They end up at a diner-- the very diner where she’d first run into him, the morning she was supposed to be staking out the place. Juliet laughs when she figures it out, and Shawn grins at her. 

“I thought this would be appropriate… sorta like where it all began. Plus, their burgers are the _best.”_

“I can’t wait to try one,” she says, and she can’t keep the smile off her face. Such a simple date, but so much more than a date, really… a beginning, the start of an adventure. 

She and Shawn end up in a booth, nicely secluded, and they each get a burger and fries. Shawn orders a large milkshake with two straws, and Juliet laughs at the cliche, but agrees anyway. She’d expected this to feel like any other night with Shawn-- he’s a fixture in her life by now, anyway. But it feels so different, with just the two of them. All of the feelings she’s been trying to tamp down are floating to the surface, and with every glance at Shawn, she feels like she’s falling in love.

“So, Jules,” he asks. “You said… you said we had a lot to talk about, if we really wanted to try to, um, date.”

She nods, taking a moment to focus back in on the conversation. “It’s simple, honestly,” she tells him. “Ellie comes first. No matter what, for both of us. Ellie has to come first.”

“Of course,” Shawn agrees, nodding quickly. “She’s… she might just be the best thing in my life, Jules. I promise you, I would never do anything that could hurt her.”

“I know you wouldn’t,” she says with a smile. “I’ve seen the two of you, these past few months. I’ve seen how much you care about her. Shawn, getting to know you, seeing you get to know Ellie… it’s made me not want to waste any more time.”

“Me neither, Jules,” he replies, reaching out to cover her hand with his. “It’s been a whirlwind, finding out about Ellie, learning more about you… six months ago, I never would’ve seen myself as a dad, ever. Now, I can’t even imagine what my life would be like if you hadn’t come back into it.”

The arrival of their food means Juliet doesn’t have time to form a response to that, so she just has to hope her beaming smile says it all.

Shawn’s promises ringing in her ears, she settles in to enjoy her dinner, and, of course, her date.

\---

Their burgers are gone, their milkshakes empty, salt and crumbs scattered in the bottom of the paper-lined baskets. The date is undeniably coming to a close, and despite the hours they’ve spent discussing topics both serious and light, Shawn hasn’t attempted their most serious conversation.

“Hey, Jules…”

She munches on her last french fry, her eyebrows knitting as she looks at him. “Yeah?”

“I think…” he runs his hand through his hair, still spiky with gel. “Um, I should tell you-- I haven’t-- when it comes to work, and what we do, what _I_ do, I haven’t been… fully transparent.”

Juliet smiles, laughing softly. “The psychic thing?”

His eyes widen in surprise. “What? How did you--”

She shrugs. “Easy enough to put the pieces together. I know you have a photographic memory, and you told me a while ago about how your skills might be passed on to Ellie. ‘Psychic’ is just a dramatic label for it.”

Relief colors Shawn’s laughter as he finally lets himself breathe. “Well, when you say it that way…”

Juliet reaches out to take her hand. “You don’t have to worry, Shawn. If you want to play psychic, I won’t stop you. Your secret is safe with me.”

\---

Shawn cuts off the engine, gliding to a smooth stop in the parking lot of Juliet’s apartment complex. He holds out a hand, helping her dismount, and she doesn’t let go as they walk up the stairs.

“I had a great time tonight, Shawn,” she says softly. “We should do this again next week.”

“Absolutely,” he agrees. They stop on the top stair, right in front of Juliet’s front door. Shawn holds both of her hands in his, giving her an easy smile. “Jules… can I kiss you goodnight?”

She nods, withdrawing her hands from his and moving them to the back of his neck. She pulls him down and he goes easily, dipping his head to capture her lips in a soft, sweet kiss.

“Goodnight, Jules,” he whispers.

She gives him a peck on the cheek. “Goodnight.”

“I’ll see you at work,” he says, stepping away.

“Shawn,” she calls. To his surprise, she beckons him closer.

“Yeah?”

“There’s someone else you need to say goodnight to.”

Shawn grins and follows Juliet through the door.

As amazing and perfect as that date was, as she is, getting to hug Ellie is his favorite part of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking it through with me, y'all. I hope by now y'all love Shawn & Jules & Elise as much as I do

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Leave a comment or kudos if you like, or find me on tumblr at nursebarbarahereward!


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